Play an inland course shaped by two design eras: Dave Thomas's original 1998 routing and Manuel Piñero's 2021 remodel. The Alto Club pairs tree-lined fairways and water features with a dedicated coaching academy, all within the Sotogrande golfing enclave close to Valderrama.
Sotogrande was established in 1962 by Filipino-American entrepreneur Joseph McMicking, who developed the estate into one of southern Spain's principal golfing communities.
Dave Thomas laid out the original 27-hole complex, known as Almenara Golf Club, in 1998. The design comprised three distinct nine-hole loops, named Pinos (Pines), Alcornoques (Cork Oaks) and Lagos (Lakes), routed through hilly terrain within the Los Alcornocales natural park.
Former Ryder Cup player Manuel Piñero remodelled the layout in 2021, refining greens and bunkering across the complex.
In 2025, the club was rebranded as The Alto Club. The 27 holes were reconfigured into an 18-hole championship course, using the former Lagos and Pinos nines, alongside a new 9-hole par-3 academy course built on parts of the former Alcornoques nine. A golf academy was launched alongside the new layout, led by former Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen.
The Alto Club plays as a par-71, 18-hole inland course set into the hillside above Sotogrande, with both nines beginning on lower ground before climbing back towards the elevated clubhouse.
Pine trees, natural elevation changes and water features shape the round throughout, with accuracy from the tee placed at a greater premium than outright length.
The par-5 13th is a notable risk-and-reward hole, with water running tight along the right-hand side of both fairway and green, penalising any shot pushed off line.
